Self Storage Exclusives

Stay up to date with exclusive self storage stories, original reporting and emerging industry trends on construction, rents, sales and more.

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1 In 3 Americans Rent Self Storage As Space Shortages Grow And Demand Expands

A third of Americans are now relying on self storage to manage their extra belongings, according to StorageCafe’s annual survey on renter demand and habits. At the core of this growing trend? The housing market.

Aerial-view-of-self-storage-facilities-with-town-in-the-background

The 6 Ds Of Self Storage Demand: Widespread Interest Puts The West In The Lead, While The South Comes In Second For Extra Space Needs

Life events continue to drive the U.S. self storage market, with moving, housing affordability, and economic shifts fueling sustained demand. Search interest in self storage has surged 88% since 2020, reaching a record 25 million annual searches in 2024.

Self storage units.

Behind The Roll-Up Doors: REITs Expand To Own A Third Of The Self Storage Market

What began as a modest family business in a small Texas town has, over the last 60 years, grown into a $20.53 billion industry, boasting over 2 billion square feet of rentable space across the U.S. With demand for space growing amid increasing urbanization trends, rising home prices and evolving storage needs, the self storage sector attracted the attention of institutional investors, gradually minimizing the gap between traditionally owned properties and real estate investment trusts (REITs).

converted self storage facility

Out With The Old, In With Self Storage: U.S. Cities Convert Industrial, Retail Spaces Into Storage Facilities

Self storage construction has surged in recent decades, driven by the industry’s ability to provide flexible solutions to life’s challenges — whether it’s dislocation, divorce, death or the need to downsize. With living space increasingly at a premium in urban centers, it’s no surprise that self storage has become an essential resource. The sector has risen to meet this demand, building an impressive inventory of nearly 2 billion square feet nationwide, with over 90% of that space delivered in the last four decades.

Front porch with Halloween decorations. Brownstone, exposed brick building.

Halloween Brings Treats, Not Tricks, For The Self Storage Industry: Post-Holiday Demand On The Rise

Halloween is spreading more than just spooky cheer each year, with cash registers ringing across both retail and hospitality. While the pandemic may have paused the frenzy, the past two years have seen consumer engagement spike, with retailers jumping on the trend head-on. Home Depot, for instance, began promoting spooky items as early as April this year. Halloween spending in 2024 is expected to reach $11.6 billion—a slight dip from last year’s record $12.2 billion but still one of the highest totals in nearly 20 years.

Self storage facility.

Houston Tops The Nation In Self Storage Sales Activity

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Self Storage Facility

Self Storage Supply Growth Lowers Rents In Charlotte, NC, Keeping The Market Renter-Friendly

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Locked Units in Self Storage Facility

A Fifth Of Americans Rent Self Storage, With Millennials Overtaking Gen Xers In Generational Storage Wars

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River Ave Self Storage 586 River Avenue Bronx NY 10451

Self Storage Transactions Top $10B In Yearly Sales Volume: NYC The Biggest Spender In 2022 While Sun Belt Cities Traded The Most Space

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Greensboro, NC aerial view

Greensboro Self Storage Market Still Going Strong, Experiences Street Rate Growth In The Midst Of A National Price Cool-Off

The self storage market in Greensboro, NC, is seeing price growth, albeit modest – 2% year-over-year – which translates to a current self storage rate of $94/month for a 10’x10’ non-climate-controlled unit. Greensboro joins of a group of cities that continue to see self storage price growth amidst a national slowdown.

Self Storage Facility Interior

A Fifth Of Americans Rent Self Storage With Gen Xers In The Lead

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white storage units at self storage facility

Amid National Self Storage Price Deceleration, Two Waterfront Cities See Street Rates Spike

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